


Midsummer

by thenakednymph



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien would make the campiest Nick Bottom in the world okay, F/M, I barely remember writing it, I just needed them flirting, It's perfect, So I had to write it, i don't even know what this is, this fic is never going to go anywhere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-27
Updated: 2016-12-27
Packaged: 2018-09-12 15:06:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9078040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/thenakednymph
Summary: The school is putting on Marinette's favorite play but she gets more than she bargained for when she tries out for the part of Titania.





	1. Chapter 1

“So you're going to audition right?” Alya dropped her books onto the picnic table with an unceremonious thump, startling Marinette out of her thoughts. She glanced up at Alya, a half eaten sandwich in one hand and drawing pencil in the other.

“Excuse me?” She blinked at Alya in confusion, a furrow between her brows.

Alya dug a wrinkled poster out from between her books and handed it over with a flourish, a knowing grin on her face. “Didn't you know? The school's putting on your favorite play. I just saw the poster.” Her eyes glittered behind her glasses as Marinette's mouth dropped open.

“A Midsummer Night's Dream?” she snatched the poster from Alya's hands, gawking at it. A slow smile spread across Marinette's face, her face flushing and heart skipping a beat. “Really?” She practically squealed, her fingers crinkling the edge of the poster as she gripped it tight.

Alya nodded at the poster looking far too pleased with herself. “That's what it says doesn't it?” She crossed her arms and lifted her chin proudly.

Marinette gaped down at the paper dumbly, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Alya bumped her elbow, shaking Marinette out of her shock as she sat down across from her best friend and unwrapped her own sandwich. “So are you going to audition?”

Marinette's face fell and she set the poster down on the table with a heavy sigh, the spark leaving her eyes. “I can't.”

“What!?” Alya shrieked, dropping her lunch back down onto her tray. “Are you kidding me?” She leaned across the table, narrowing her eyes. “Titania's your favorite character! How can you not?” She frowned in disapproval as she sat back, watching Marinette over her sandwich as Marinette moped.

“Come on, she's your favorite character,” Alya repeated. “Not that I understand your fascination with her. She's not the most feminist of characters is she?”

Marinette looked up, her lunch and sketches momentarily abandoned. “What do you mean?”

“Really?” Alya dropped her lunch back down onto her tray. “She gets magically manipulated into loving an ass, _literally_ , by her angry husband. And then once the spell is broken she falls willingly into his arms instead of tearing him a new one.” Alya wrinkled her nose and shook her head. “That's just never worked for me.” She glanced between Marinette and the poster, a puzzled look on her face. “Why _do_ you like her?”

Marinette shrugged, running her fingers over the poster. She blushed unexpectedly. “She's...fierce. Protective. Powerful.” Her voice softened, a smile tugging at her lips. “She's bold and fearless and willing to speak her mind.” She frowned, crossing her arms on the table and slumping forward. “She's everything I'm not,” she huffed.

“Oh don't be ridiculous,” Alya snapped waving away Marinette's melancholy. “You're already all those things. You just don't know it yet.” She took a bite out of her sandwich. “Give it time Mari. You're bolder than you think.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

Marinette stood behind the curtain with the other students who'd come to audition, chewing on her nail.

“So you're really going to do it?”

Marinette jumped in surprise, heart in her throat as she shrieked. “Alya!” Several students threw them dirty looks and Marinette blushed. She mumbled an apology before taking Alya's arm and tugging her off to the side.

“What are you doing here?” She cast a glance at the stage where they'd called the next two students forward.

“To support you silly.” She poked Marinette's side. “And maybe try for a part or two myself.”

Marinette threw her arms around Alya, relief leaving her knees weak. “I thought you said you wouldn't be able to come?” she muttered into her shoulder.

Alya shrugged lightly. “Plans change. And besides, I thought you'd need the moral support.”

Marinette nodded rapidly. “I do.” Panic flashed across her face. “I don't think I can do this.”

Alya squeezed her hand. “Yes you can. Just- channel your inner Ladybug or something.”

Marinette blanched. “My what?”

“Your inner superhero, girl. Just imagine you're Wonder Woman or something. It always helps me.” Marinette gave a quiet sigh of relief as she realized her secret identity was still safe. Alya had nearly given her a heart attack.

“You can do this!” Alya gave Marinette a gentle shove as her name was called and she stumbled out onto the stage, someone pressing a script into her hands. She blinked against the lights, forcing herself to stand upright.

“Uh, I- I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” She felt stupid introducing herself but it's what the other students had all done. “And I'd l-like to read for the part of Titania?” She hadn't meant it to come out as a question, but her nerves were getting the better of her. She took a shuddering breath. _Come on,_ she thought to herself, _you save Paris on a weekly basis, you can do this. Just- be Ladybug._

She took a deep breath and forced her head high, pretending she was standing on the rooftops of Paris, facing down an Akuma. Somehow that was much easier than this.

“All right,” a pleasant voice called. “How about...” She could hear the rustling of papers even though she couldn't see where it was coming from. “Act Two, Scene One with Titania and Oberon.”

Marinette smiled to herself, flipping through the script until she found the right page, but knowing she wouldn't need it. She knew the scene by heart already. She glanced up when she heard someone else stepping onto the stage, surprised to see Nino standing there.

“Nino?”

He smiled and shrugged awkwardly, a script held in one hand. “Yeah, why not.”

“If you would take your places,” the voice called.

Marinette stepped closer to the small cluster of women meant to be her train, turning her back on Nino, waiting for him to speak the first line, struggling to find her inner fairy queen.

“Ill met by moonlight, proud Titania,” Nino called a moment later and Marinette was surprised by the power and strength in his voice. It yanked her head around, catching her attention and she was pleased by his presentation. He was better at this than she'd expected.

She turned, throwing a coy look at him over her shoulder. “What, jealous Oberon!” Her voice lashed with adoration masked with fierce mocking. She flicked her hand dismissively, speaking to her train. “Fairies, skip hence,” she trilled, her voice and movements languid. “I have forsworn his bed and company.” She spun on her heel, swinging her hair and moved to walk off, her shoulders squared. “Tarry,” Nino snapped, halting her mid-step, but Marinette refused to turn around. Nino's voice softening a moment later, “rash wanton.” He paused dramatically, taking half a step forward. “Am I not thy lord?”

Marinette stood as if collecting herself, her anger, before turning, a pleasant smile on her face and knives between her teeth. “Then I must be thy lady.” She gave a mocking curtsy, stepping closer, not ever bothering to look at her script. “But I know when thou hast stolen away from fairyland,” she began, walking to meet him in the middle of the stage, stroking a finger down his cheek, her voice low and intimate, a”nd in the shape of Corin sat all day, playing on pipes of corn and versing love to amorous Phillida.” Venom filled her voice as she spat the words, resisting the urge to slap him, instead spinning away and putting space between them again.

“Why art thou here,” she demanded, looking down at her nails, “come from farthest Steppe of India? But that forsooth, the bouncing Amazon.” Her voice dripped like poisoned honey, her words sweet but leaving a bitter aftertaste, her lips pouted in a little moue.

She shot a look at her train who tittered in laughter as she went on, beginning to circle Nino as she spoke, trailing a hand along his waist. He was staring at her in surprise, as if unable to find his footing at her performance. “Your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love.” Her lips curled around the words in bitterness, but then she sighed, shifting her weight and tone as if changing the subject, waving her hand again. “To Theseus must be wedded, and you come to give their bed joy and prosperity.”

Nino fumbled, glancing down at his script. “H-how canst thou-” But it was too late, the spell Marinette had woven was broken, the illusion shattering and falling away leaving them once again two awkward teenagers standing on a stage. They stared at each other, Nino scratching the back of his neck before they both turned to face the panel of judges, flushed and embarrassed.

The judges thanked and dismissed them, Marinette hurrying off the stage, passing over the script blindly to the next student barely able to think straight through the pounding of her heart. She froze mid-step as she saw Alya talking with Adrien. She hadn't realized he was going to be here. She could feel her ears burning as she slumped towards them, trying to hide behind her shoulders. Adrien's face lit up as he saw her approaching and she flushed, curling further in on herself.

“That was amazing!” he said. “I didn't know you could act.” His face was flushed with pleasure and Marinette turned even redder.

She glanced to Alya, looking for help but finding none. “A-a little,” she stuttered, toeing at the floor.

“Titania's always been one of her favorite characters,” Alya jumped in and Marinette was relived. “When I heard the school was doing Midsummer I knew she had to come and try for the part.”

Adrien smiled, looking between them. “I can see why. You're a shoe-in for the part Marinette.”

Marinette twisted her fingers into knots in front of her stomach, still staring at the floor. “O-oh, you-you really think so?” She glanced up at him from beneath her lashes.

“Absolutely. After that performance how could they not? You're a natural.”

Marinette fell into embarrassed silence, turning to watch the latest audition. Alya stepped up next to her, slipping her arm through Marinette's and giving it a squeeze as Adrien came up to her other side.

“A-are you-” Marinette gestured lamely to the students out on the stage unable to find the words and hating herself for it.

Adrien shrugged, slipping his hands into his pockets. “I was thinking about it.” He gave her a glittering smile. “Bottom's part maybe.”

Marinette balked. “But that's a terrible part!” she argued, her passion overcoming her embarrassment. “Bottom's an idiot.”

Adrien shrugged, smiling down at her. “Maybe, but he gets to fall in love with Titania.”

If Marinette had been able to find her voice she might have shrieked. As it was she ducked her head, squeezed Alya's arm, and tried to remember how to breathe.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone was kind enough to point I screwed up the posting of this chapter so here you go. If any of you guys have seen the movie version of Midsummer with Kevin Kline, just imagine that's what Adrien sounds like okay?

Marinette was surprised when she got the callback for second auditions, but no one else was. She slipped into the theater after school, her heart pounding, clutching her books to her chest like a shield. There was a much smaller group of students waiting this time around and the lights were dimmer. She walked up to the judge's table; a collection of teachers who would help cast the parts and organize the production.

Marinette took the script they offered her, not surprised to see she'd be reading for Titania again. What she didn't expect was to see Adrien or that he would actually be reading for Bottom. Or that they would be up first. She stood, gaping at him on the stage, but he only smiled at her as if it were perfectly natural. Marinette wanted to die and only remembered to shut her mouth when one of the judges called the necessary part out to them. She fumbled with the pages, nearly dropping her script, trying to decide why in the world he'd want Bottom's part, in spite of what he'd said the other day. _Why not Oberon?_ her traitorous mind hissed and she blushed, dropping the script entirely.

Adrien had the decency to wait for her to find her place before beginning. Marinette stepped further back into the shadows and out of sight as Adrien began to pace, a sparkle in his eyes.

“I see their knavery; this is to make an ass of me.” He waggled his finger at the judges. “To fright me if they could. But I will not stir from this place, do what they can.” He stomped his foot like a petulant child and Marinette had to stifle a laugh.

“I will walk up and down here, and I will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid,” he crowed glancing down at his script before beginning to sing in the most horrid, off-key tune Marinette had ever heard. “The ousel cock so black of hue, with orange-tawny bill.” He struck a pose, stretching the tone rudely before beginning to swagger across the stage like he owned it. “The throstle with his note so true, the wren with little quill-” He stood in the middle of the stage, the wretched note fading as he ran out of lines, but Marinette, like so many others had dissolved into laughter, missing her mark entirely. She clutched her stomach, wiping tears from her eyes as Adrien turned to her, his smile wide.

She waved in his general direction, and that of the judges, trying to regain her composure. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry.” She cleared her throat and took a shaky breath, trying to shake off the laughter, but her next line was still rich with mirth.

She stepped forward into the light. “What angel wakes me from my flowery bed?” The words sounded utterly ridiculous even as she spoke them and she had to stifle another giggle.

Adrien whipped back around, sliding easily into character. He strutted around like bird as he sang, loudly and wildly off key. “The finch, the sparrow and the lark, the pain-song cuckoo gray; whose note full many a man doth mark, and dares not answer nay;--” Adrien stretched the note, turning it into a donkey's bray and laughter rang out across the theater. “For needed who would set his wit to so foolish a bird? Who would give a bird the lie, though he cry 'cuckoo' never so?” he drawled.

“I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again,” Marinette cut in, stepping boldly towards him. Her eyes were bright with mirth, tears still wetting her lashes and she took another step towards him. “Mine ear is much enamour'd of thy note; so is mine eye enthralled to thy shape.” She couldn't help the way her eyes dragged down Adrien's body and back before reaching is eyes again. She drifted a step closer, the script forgotten in her hand, her voice ringing with sincerity.

“And thy fair virtue's force perforce doth move me on the first view to say,” she whispered, “to swear...” She stepped closer until she was looking up into his eyes. “I love thee.”

Adrien seemed to have lost all connection to the script as he stared down into her eyes, his lips parted in wonder. Marinette searched his face, her cheeks turning pink and her fairy queen crumbled beneath the weight of his gaze until she was once again just Marinette.

Cheers and applause finally drove them apart and they bowed before the judges who had stood, giving them a standing ovation.

“It may be a little early, but ladies and gentleman, I think we've found our Queen Titania and Nick Bottom!”

Another round of cheers and applause circled the room as Marinette and Adrien were congratulated by their fellow students, but Marinette's heart was in her throat. What had she just gotten herself into?

 


End file.
